Donna Lynne King

Donna Lynne King of Corvallis, OR passed away on Sunday, May 5th at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, OR. She was 69 years old. Donna was born to Earl and Cecelia King on June, 22nd, 1954 in Roseburg, OR, the first of two children. Her brother Steven was born 16 months later. Donna and Steve grew up in Orchards, WA, a (once rural) suburb of Vancouver. During their summers, they raised a large garden and sold the produce for their spending money. As a result of working and playing together, Donna and Steve developed a deep connection that endured through the years. In 1990 Donna King married John King, a man with the same last name. They bought a home in Corvallis, OR and remained there the entire 34 years of their marriage. Donna loved to cook, sew, and work in the garden. She loved all arts and crafts and also liked to travel. Together Donna and John visited Hong Kong, Germany, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, and various parts of the United States. Growing up in the Lutheran Church, Donna sensed God’s call to serve Him as a deaconess. After graduating from Concordia Junior College in 1974, she entered the deaconess training program at Valparaiso University (Valpo), graduating with a BA in theology in 1976. During her time at Valpo, Donna’s field work consisted of serving as a chaplain at both Porter Memorial Hospital and the Porter County Jail as well as teaching confirmation in Highland, IN. After graduation Donna completed her deaconess internship at Neighborhood House in Lubbock, TX, a community center with children’s activities, adult services, and emergency aid. Donna was consecrated a deaconess at Grace Lutheran Church in Vancouver, WA on July 31st, 1977 and remained at Neighborhood House until 1980. She also became a hospital chaplain, completing 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock, TX. Donna was a good chaplain because she became calmer as situations grew more intense. Returning to Oregon in 1980, Donna was called by the NW District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to serve in campus ministry at Luther House near the OSU campus. She served at Luther House from 1981 through 2004. At Luther House, Donna taught students, counseled students, advised students, led retreats, raised money, administrated programs, developed PR, coordinated service projects, wrote devotions, and provided hospitality for Luther House lunches and events. As a campus minister, she had unbounded energy and creativity. She taught classes in the OSU honors program and developed a faith and science network at the university, bringing in big name speakers for lectures. Donna believed that campus ministry should embrace the entire university: faculty and staff as well as students. In all this she saw her main gifts as teaching, administrating, and nurturing. Campus ministry was the high water mark of her career. After leaving campus ministry, Donna left the Missouri Synod and joined the ELCA. From 2005 through 2021, she served as the Director of Discipling Ministries at Grace Lutheran Church in Corvallis. In this position, Donna oversaw Christian education for the parish, directed the annual nativity program, organized the Easter breakfast, and nurtured young people in the faith. Donna said that working with the youth was the best part of her job, and the youth, in turn, loved her because they knew that she cared about them. During this time, Donna strove mightily to help the church understand and respond to the cultural shifts that were destroying Christian faith. Donna was a loyal wife, sister, daughter, friend, and churchwoman. She was kind, gentle, loving, strong, energetic, practical, creative, intelligent, and wise. Donna had a cheerful smile and a servant’s heart. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Cecelia King. She is survived by her loving brother Steve (son Jeremy) and her loving husband John. Donna’s memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 11th at 2 p.m. at Oakville Presbyterian Church in Shedd, OR. A live stream of the service will be available and may be accessed from the church website. A video of the service will be available thereafter on the church’s YouTube channel. Memorial gifts may be given to the Lutheran Diaconal Association (LDA), to Luther House (the Lutheran campus ministry at OSU), or to the Oakville Presbyterian Deacons’ Fund.

Donna Lynne King

June 22, 1954 - May 5, 2024